5 signs that your cleaning staff is struggling (what it’s costing you)
Cleanliness shapes how guests see your hotel. Guests notice the scent, the floors, and the shine on the reception counter as soon as they enter. A clean space builds trust, and in hospitality, trust often leads to return bookings.
Behind the scenes, far more needs cleaning than most guests realise. It is not just wiping surfaces or making beds. Every corner, high-touch item, and overlooked hallway require regular care to meet guests’ standards.
When the cleaning team falls behind, the impact is not always obvious at first. But the warning signs eventually show, and the longer they are ignored, the more it costs. Here’s what to look for and why it matters.
Frequent Complaints from Guests
Guest complaints are often the first obvious warning sign. Cleanliness comments hit harder than most because they feel personal. Guests may overlook a slow elevator, but not a dirty bathroom.
Online reviews make this costlier. One remark about grime or a strange smell can stop dozens of future bookings. Reception staff then spend time calming guests, offering room changes, or issuing refunds. None of this helps your schedule.
Look for patterns rather than isolated cases. A single complaint may be a one-off. Repeated complaints about sticky surfaces, dusty vents, or stained towels usually mean the team is overwhelmed, not properly briefed, or lacking a clear process.
Extra pressure can also come from outside the room. Many hotels rely on services like linen hire in Brisbane to keep fresh bedding and towels moving through the building without slowing down the team. Delays or mix-ups can force cleaners to wait, redo work, or scramble to find replacements, which eats into time for detailed cleaning.
Missed Spots Keep Showing Up
Small misses tell a big story. Dust on a lamp, fingerprints on a door, or hair near a drain are details guests notice fast. When they keep showing up, it usually means the team is rushing or working with unrealistic time targets.
People may not read long reviews, but they will notice a photo. One image of mould near a shower or grime on a baseboard can cause real damage. These details lead to lost trust, fewer bookings, and more time spent fixing problems.
Training and checklists matter more than people think. Cleaners cannot maintain a consistent standard if each person has a different idea of what “done” means. Clear room standards, quick refreshers, and simple end-of-shift checks can improve quality without adding much time.
Wear and tear can also be a warning sign. Stains that never lift, marks that keep returning, and dull floors might not be poor effort. Sometimes the products are wrong for the surface, or the equipment is worn out. That turns a normal room clean into a frustrating job that still looks unfinished.
High Staff Turnover
Constant staff changes signal trouble. People do not leave stable, well-managed cleaning jobs every few weeks. High turnover often points to problems with workload, training, or support.
New hires slow things down at first, even if they are capable. They need time to learn your layout, your room standards, where supplies are stored, and how you expect reporting to happen. Until they settle in, the risk of missed steps increases, and experienced staff end up covering gaps.
Morale drops when the team is always short. Good workers get tired of carrying extra rooms, staying back late, or getting blamed for problems they cannot control. Eventually, they leave too, and the cycle continues.
Recruitment is not the only cost involved. Consistency also suffers. Guests may find one stay spotless and the next rushed. That uneven experience hurts repeat bookings, which are the lifeblood of many hotels.
Cleaning Takes Longer Than It Should
Late room readiness creates a domino effect. Check-ins back up, the front desk gets stressed, and guests start their stay annoyed. Even if the room is clean in the end, the experience feels messy from the start.
Understaffing is one common reason, but it is not the only one. Poor planning can waste time too. If cleaners walk back and forth for linen, supplies, or keys, minutes disappear all day. Multiply that across a full shift, and the delay becomes hours.
Fatigue also plays a major role. When staff are tired, everything takes longer, and mistakes increase. A slow clean might be a sign that the team is working too many rooms per person, too many days in a row, or covering tasks that belong to other roles.
A better workflow saves money without cutting corners on quality. Group rooms by floor, keep supplies nearby, and set realistic room targets. Guests get rooms on time, and staff finish with less stress.
Supplies Always Seem Low or Misused
Running out of basic supplies should not be routine. If gloves, bin liners, disinfectant, or cloths keep disappearing mid-shift, something is off. Cleaners waste time hunting for supplies or swapping products, and that makes the whole day harder.
Poor stock control could be the culprit. Supplies may be stored incorrectly, counted inconsistently, or ordered late. A simple sign-out system helps track usage and restocking needs.
Overuse can also be a problem. Some products get poured too heavily because staff were never shown the right amount. Other products may be used incorrectly, reducing effectiveness and forcing repeat cleaning. Clear labels and short training reminders can fix this quickly.
Equipment matters just as much as cleaning products. A weak vacuum, worn mop heads, or broken trolley wheels can slow a cleaner down and leave rooms looking tired. Replacing low-cost items often prevents bigger expenses later, such as intensive cleaning, guest refunds, or surface damage.
Wrap Up
It is easy to miss the early signs of a struggling cleaning team. But the effects show up as unhappy guests, rising costs, and high turnover. Catching issues early lets you step in before problems escalate. Support and training benefit your team, your guests, and your bottom line.
